Brunch decisions can be tricky; we know most of the dishes likely to be on the menu, so deciding on where to dine can end up a blend of location, chef, cuisine, bottomless deals amongst others. How I got to settling on Tom’s Kitchen in Chelsea? Not only is it one of three venues by acclaimed chef Tom Aikens, it’s known to promise good quality brunch dishes with locally sourced ingredients, as well as plenty of other creative plates. Here’s how I got on...
Tom's Kitchen can put together quite the bright and airy brunch.
Set in a townhouse in Chelsea (the first of the group to be opened by Aikens in 2006) Tom’s Kitchen boasts a contemporary blend of the rustic and the brasserie thanks to a wooden interior broken up by clean white tiles. The informal decor allows you to feel at home and relaxed, while natural light brought in from the skylight windows at the back and wide panels at the front brightens up the room but compliments the crisp interior.
Whilst some guests were there to catch their daily caffeine fix, others were indulging in a glass of bubbles or two - most likely joining us in the in the 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco that you you can add on to your brunch for a humble £15.
Sipping on our first glass of bottomless bubbles, we took to the new seasonal menu and decided to order a couple of plates to share. Going for a traditional dish, my friend ordered the Eggs Royale with Cacklebean eggs, Cornish smoked salmon on an English muffin (£18) - the egg yolks spilt like silk out onto the plate, mixing perfectly on the palate with fresh smoked salmon and a rich hollandaise sauce. Our second dish was a new addition to the menu in the shape of croque monsieur filled with truffle, parma ham, and mushrooms. This generous portion of fresh bread encasing layers of melted cheese lovingly soaked up the truffle, parma ham and mushrooms for the perfect summary of indulgent French fare.
Alternative dishes on the brunch menu include Mediterranean eggs.
My hand was twisted by the General Manager’s recommendation of the pancakes with Nutella and mixed berries to round the brunch off nicely. Arriving just 10 minutes later - almost enough time to let the other dishes settle - two fluffy pancakes arrived stacked and filled with lashings of Nutella, mixed berries and the whip of double cream. After that? I’ll take any and all hand twisting that comes my way.
The DesignMyNight Digest
You can’t miss the welcoming and cosy atmosphere on entering Tom’s Kitchen Chelsea, thanks to a team brimming with recommendations, all ready to top up your glass when needed. Not only coming up trumps in the brunch department, Tom’s also offer a lunch and dinner menu alongside two private dining rooms, which I get the feeling will also offer the same standard of quality and service.
